Nirmala Maghani, an aspiring singer who claims to have created the original tune to Coke Studio season 14 track Tu Jhoom, maintains that she does not want money out of the lawsuit she has filed against renowned music producer Xulfi.
The song, which has been sung by Abida Parveen and Naseebo Lal in the first episode of the show, has come under fire after Nirmala accused Xulfi of plagiarising her melody.
Nirmala claims to have sent the song’s tune to Xulfi in June 2021 in the hopes of getting him to give her the big break she needed. However, Xulfi remained unresponsive. A year down the road, the music producer came up with the music arrangement for Tu Jhoom for Coke Studio.
Xulfi has denied all of Maghani’s claims in a written statement shared with The Express Tribune and has said that his work comes from a pace of inclusivity.
"I produce and collaborate in the spirit of inclusivity and my work with Coke Studio holds the same philosophy,” he began.
“I am grateful and humbled to receive many talented artists’ requests for collaboration from all over Pakistan, as have many producers before me. However, I can’t say my work for CS borrowed from such shared samples I received,” he said.
“I do hope to have the fortune of listening to Nirmala Manghani’s songs in person and to possibly come together for collaboration ahead: our young brilliant artists across Pakistan are our future,” concluded the statement.
In a follow-up statement, Xulfi added: “My work is not borrowed or without credit, given that what I share with the world is work that relies on the very essence of partnership and collaboration. I hope this to be evident in my entire body of work produced in my career.”
Meanwhile, many have begun to support Meghani in her claims of plagerism against Xulfi. The aspiring musician however, claims too not be looking for any material benefits from her lawsuit against the singer. “I will accept whatever the court decides,” she said.
